Animated toy



Dec. 29, 1959 L. F. HIGGINS ANIMATED. TOY

Filed Nov. 9, 1956 LYMAN F. Hlcems. INVENTOR.

fhx ili BY f A TO RNEY.

United States Patent "ice ANIMATED TOY Lyman Franklin Higgins,Hawthorne, Calif.

Application November 9, 1956, Serial No. 621,334

4 Claims. (Cl. 46-131) My invention relates to animated toys andspecifically to that type of toy which is worked by air led through atube from an air pump, collapsible ball, or the like operated by theuser, to parts operated by the displaced air and arranged within thetoy.

Many toys of the type described have been produced, generally in theform of an animal such as a frog or small rabbit which can be made toprogress by a more or less life-like series of leaps but the appeal ofsuch toys is somewhat limited by the restricted automation of the animalor the like.

The toy of my invention not only simulates the action of an animal orbird but produces a life-like semblance of the action of the subject bychanges in posture as the action progresses, and effects the movement ofthe subject by means which act in a manner different to that of theoperation known to give the toy a novel and interesting quality.

It is an object of my invention to provide an animated toy in the formof an animal, bird or other figure balanced upon a support in an unusualmanner and with unusual modes of action, the figure carrying a loadwhich it lifts from a lower to an upper position in a life-like manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide an animated toy of the kinddescribed which is inexpensive to produce and simple in construction.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a toy of the kinddescribed which may be produced in a variety of forms in some of whichvarious parts of the body may be caused to move although substantiallythe same method of operation is used in all forms.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel method ofcausing animation in a toy of the kind described.

Still further objects and features of my invention will appear from astudy of the following specification and accompanying drawingsillustrating by way of example a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention embodied in a toy birdperched on a length of line and simulates the appearance of the birdbefore commencing to lift a relatively heavy load, here shown as alength of belt.

Figure 2 illustrates the position of the bird on having completed itslifting movement.

Figure 3 is a front view of the bird in the position shown in Figure 1,the belt being merely indicated in order to show details of the body.

Figure 4 is an elevational view showing a modified hand-held pump whichmay be used to operate the toy, and

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a modified air bulb which may be usedto manipulate the toy.

Referring now to Figure 1, the numeral indicates generally the body ofthe bird, which is hollow and light in weight. The body may be moldedfrom any suitable 2,918,752 Patented Dec. 29, 1959 plastic. Numeral 11indcates the head of the bird which is also a hollow piece produced inany suitable way.

The head 11 comprises a bill 12 which is open, providing a slot 13, athroat portion 14 and a back of the neck portion 15 which is extendedfurther from thehead than the throat portion. The throat and the back ofthe neck portions are covered by a plate 16. A small hole 17 is providedthrough both sides of the front lower edge of the throat portion. Thehead is wider toward.

the back as indicated at 17a, Figure 3, than forwardly of that point.

The body portion 10 comprises a back portion 18', shoulders 19 whichframe an opening 20, an under bodyor breast 21 which is provided withopenings 22 and 22a, legs 23 and tail 24. The opening 20' is preferablynarrower than the rear portion 17a of the head of the bird. Holes areprovided at the front top edge of the breast portion of the body alignedwith the holes 17 in the front of the throat. A pivot pin 22b is passedthrough the holes in the shoulders and neck, thus pivotally mounting thehead on the top front portion of the body for a limited relative pivotalmovement therewith.

The rear end of the body is provided with an opening 25 below the rootof the tail and a small hole below the tip '26 of the wings and abovethe tail. The tail itself is provided with a slot 27 (Figure 3).

The operative mechanism comprises a bladder or small rubber balloon 28which is inserted in collapsed condition through opening 25 so that thefront end lies under plate 16. The balloon in collapsed condition is toowide to fall through the breast openings 22 and 22a.

The rear end of the balloon 28 is secured over one end of a connector29. An air tube 30 is fitted over the opposite end of the connector 29.

In inserting the balloon 28 the connection is pushed with the balloonthrough opening 25 but the air tube 30 is squeezed through slot 27 toposition the tube in the small opening 26 above the tail which is toosmall to permit the connection 29 to pass through. The describedconstruction holds the balloon in place in the body of the bird whileleaving the balloon freedom to take up the position needed in operatingthe toy.

The birds body is supported on legs 23 preferably molded as a unit witha plate 31 connecting them and with a tubular piece 32 around which thebirds claws 33 are indicated. A short length of tube 34 is secured inthe tubular piece to secure lateral stability of the bird on a cord orline 35 stretched between two points, as for instance by tying one endto the back of a chair with the other end held in the hand of the useror tied under tension to the back of another chair.

The light weight body of the bird is balanced upon the cord by theweight of the article or load, which is heavier than the body, carriedin its beak. A loading element in the form of a fairly stiff solidleather belt 36 serves the purpose very well if the belt curvaturebrings the free end to the rear of the cord, as shown in Figure 1, tobring the center of gravity of the bird and belt to the front of thecord. The bird will balance in a sharply downwardly inclined positionwhich is very realistic and quite mystifying.

The device may be operated by any suitable hand pump such as those shownin Figures 4 and 5.

In Figure 4 a small hand pump 37 is. used of the kind fitted with theusual non-return valve (not shown) and used for pumping up beach ballsor other similar inflated articles.

39 is provided in the cap which can be controlled by a finger tip of theuser who manipulates the device as later 7 explained.

In Figure a hand bulb 40 of the usual type provided for manipulating airoperated devices is shown which is modified by providing the cap 41 ofthe bulb with a vent hole 42. A check valve '43 is mounted in the end ofthe bulb as in the usual form of the article.

While the wings of the bird illustrated are merely moldedrepresentations, it is possible to form them separately from thin sheetplastic and attach them to the shoulders by flexible tape to formhinges, and to provide openings in the sides of the body under the wingsnear the shoulders so that as the bladder 28 is inflated the wings willstand out from the body and other comic eifects may be obtained whichare intended to be included in the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims.

Operation "If the bird is placed on the cord without the belt or similarload in its beak, it will hang upside down as is to be expected, withits center of gravity under its point of suspension.

When the bird is rotated upwardly and a stiff belt or similar loadplaced in its bill as shown in Figure l the bird *will balance in theapproximate position shown in Figure l for the reason that the center ofgravity of the belt is behind the cord 35 because of the length of beltextending rearwardly of this center when the bird is in a more downwardposition. The head of the bird therefore is rocked back on pivot 22buntil the Wide part 17a of the head contacts the shoulders of the bodyand will then push the body upwards about its point of support on cord35 until balance is achieved. The weight of the belt holds the head 11downwardly with the result that the belt is still hanging with most ofits length spaced away from cord 32.

When bladder 28 is inflated it bears against plate 16 and would rock thehead forwardly of the center of gravity but for the fact that thebody ofthe bird is light and therefore the reaction of the Weight of the beltcauses the body to rotate on the cord maintaining the equilibrium of thesystem but bringing the belt nearer and nearer the cord until the beltcontacts the cord and the body of the bird is in the nearly uprightposition shown in Figure 2.

The movement of the bird can be made life-like by manipulating the airpumps and vent holes 39 or 42 so that the bird seems to lift the load ina series of jerks, sagging a little between each jerk, the latter effectbeing achieved by letting a little air escape through the vent holeswhich otherwise are kept closed by a finger tip of the user.

A further effect of the bird pufling out its chest with the effort oflifting is achieved by the bulging out of the bladder 28 through theopenings 22 and 22a in the birds chest, preferably the bladder being ofa. color such as pink which is a normal chest marking of some commonbirds.

The tube 30 is preferably made of light transparent plastic materialwhich is inconspicuous and also does not interfere with the movements ofthe bird, though it should preferably be looped around the cord 35 asshown in Figure 2 to take some of the weight of the tube off the bird.

It is believed that the use of a load supported by a part movablymounted on a body lighter than the load and causing the body to balanceon a support in one position in which the load is spaced laterally fromthe support and then causing the movable part to move on the body so asto bring the body to a higher position by the use of a distendablemember located in the body and :acting to bring the load closer to thesupport when said member is distended by fluid pumped into it by theuser constitutes a novel manner or method of operation and is thereforeclaimed as a feature of my invention.

While apreferred embodiment of the method of my invention and means ofcarrying it into effect has been specifically described and illustrated,it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the describedembodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as definedby the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A fluid operated animated device comprising: a hollow body; partsimmovably connected to said body; a support on which said immovableparts are rotatably mounted; means movably mounted on said body andextending from within to outside of said body; a loading element carriedby said means movably mounted exteriorly of said body, and effective tobalance the body in a downward position until the device is operated;distendable means arranged within the body and adapted when distended toengage with the portion of the movably mounted means extending withinthe body and move it to change the position of the center of gravity ofthe device and loading element and raise the device to another positionon the support; and means for controllably forcing fluid into saiddistendable means; and a flexible conduit connecting said latter meansto said distendable means.

2. A fluid operated animated device as set forth in claim 1 and in whichsaid means for forcing fluid into said distendable means comprise: fluidpumping means adapted tobe operated by the user; said pumping meansbeing provided with an aperture through which fluid under pressure mayescape under control of the operator.

3. An animated device, comprising: a hollow body; a part pivotallymounted on said body and extending from within to outside of said body;a filamentary support for said body; parts immovably connected to saidbody by which said body is mounted for free part rotational movementabout said filamentary support; a loading element heavier than said bodycarried by said pivotally mounted part and extending below and acrossthe point of support of the body so as to balance the device above saidsupport in one position; distendable means arranged within said body andadapted when distended to engage with the portion of said pivotallymounted part within the body and rock said part about its pivot andthereby alter the center of gravity of the device to cause it to assumedifferent positions on its support, the parts immovably connected to thebody maintaining at all times their rotational contact with the support;and means for selectively distending said distendable means.

4. An animated device comprising: a hollow body; a part pivotallymounted on said body and extending from within to outside of said body;means immovably con nected to said body by which said body is mountedfor free part-rotational movement on a support; a loading elementheavier than said body carried by said pivotally mounted part andextending below and across the point of support of the body so as tobalance the device above said support in one position; distendable meansarranged within said body and adapted when distended to engage with theportion of said pivotally mounted part within the body and rock saidpart about its pivot and thereby alter the center of gravity of thedevice to cause it .to assume different positions on the support, themeans immovably connected to the body maintaining at all times theirrotational contact with the support; and means for selectivelydistending said distendable means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.22,900 Harold July 15, 1947 (Original 2,240,906)

437,209 Lancaster Sept. 30, 1890 1,127,388 Banovitch Feb. 9, 19151,859,268 Larson May 17, 1932 2,095,871 Hite Oct. 12,1937 2,570,584vMiskin et al. Oct. 9, 1951

